I’ve made a decision

[S500 Pete]

It seems hardly anyone specs air suspension on their new cars.
I’ve yet to find a used one within my price range and I’m led to believe it was only a £1000 option.
I’m going to have to start seriously looking at the smaller engined cars, but up to now none of those have it either.
At the moment I’m still luckily only researching until the perfect car comes along
I’ve even been looking at the E Class offerings but the same story there with Airmatic too!
Is it really something to be avoided considering the rear has it as standard?

I had airmatic on my 2004 E500 that I sold last year and it never gave any trouble. I now have it on my S500 and the ride is fantastic. Comfortable in standard and tight in sports mode. Plus the option to raise the car in rough car parks

 

[s5tuart]

Please can you get me one whilst you’re out

If it’ll fit in a Tesco bag-for-life!

 

[s5tuart]

Plus the option to raise the car in rough car parks

I imagine that is very useful. Plenty of “rural” car parks around here!

 

[grayb]

You can right now get a brand new W213 E220d SE Estate for just less than £30k in a choice of colours and interiors directly from Mercedes.

Choice of interiors? I thought they were all black/charcoal now?

 

[Blobcat]

Choice of interiors? I thought they were all black/charcoal now?

Chestnut Brown and Macchiato Beige in two I looked at. I don’t look at AMG Line as I detest Artico

 

[LostKiwi]

Indeed. Even my old S210 was a beautiful ride but I really want cosseting these days, in my post retirement days. Spending around £20K on a car is a big move for me so I hope to get everything I want. If not I may as well run my 2008 Focus Estate into the ground! (Not far to go! )

S210 doesn't have coils on the back - it has an Citroen system with oil and gas spheres.

 

[s5tuart]

S210 doesn't have coils on the back - it has an Citroen system with oil and gas spheres.

Thanks. I knew it wasn’t coils because it self levelled. I always thought it had air but clearly not. I suppose I could always go for a DS

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1230954

 

[LostKiwi]

Thanks. I knew it wasn’t coils because it self levelled. I always thought it had air but clearly not. I suppose I could always go for a DS

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1230954

That's quite wonderful. A DS has been on my wish list for years...

 

[EmilysDad]

That's quite wonderful. A DS has been on my wish list for years...

They are fantastic looking cars now .... just think what the world thought of them when they first came out especially when they replaced the pre-war Avant. I do prefer the earlier single round headlamp model.

 

[LostKiwi]

They are fantastic looking cars now .... just think what the world thought of them when they first came out especially when they replaced the pre-war Avant. I do prefer the earlier single round headlamp model.

That Decapote is lovely. I'd be very happy with that - the Decapote is very rare and expensive. I seem to recall President Macron using one recently for a state occasion.
Possibly one of the most beautiful cars ever.

 

[s5tuart]

That Decapote is lovely. I'd be very happy with that - the Decapote is very rare and expensive. I seem to recall President Macron using one recently for a state occasion.
Possibly one of the most beautiful cars ever.

Here’s your chance
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1192712

 

[LostKiwi]

Here’s your chance
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1192712

If only I had the amount of money required.
I'd probably have to sell the house to get that.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

It seems hardly anyone specs air suspension on their new cars.
I’ve yet to find a used one within my price range and I’m led to believe it was only a £1000 option.
I’m going to have to start seriously looking at the smaller engined cars, but up to now none of those have it either.
At the moment I’m still luckily only researching until the perfect car comes along
I’ve even been looking at the E Class offerings but the same story there with Airmatic too!
Is it really something to be avoided considering the rear has it as standard?

The W213 suspension is a step up from the W212 and even handles 20in wheels without a harsh ride so not much benefit in fitting full airmatic to the estate. The W212 does benefit from full air suspension however especially on 18in+ wheels but you need to keep the tyres pressures to spec for the car to feel right. On the 212 the front air strut rubber bellows are extremely close to the wheel and snow/ice collecting on the tyres can easily destroy them which is a design fault in my opinion so if you do think about a 212 with full airmatic make sure you inspect these. My 212 with full airmatic is on 73k miles without fault

 

[s5tuart]

The W213 suspension is a step up from the W212 and even handles 20in wheels without a harsh ride so not much benefit in fitting full airmatic to the estate. The W212 does benefit from full air suspension however especially on 18in+ wheels but you need to keep the tyres pressures to spec for the car to feel right. On the 212 the front air strut rubber bellows are extremely close to the wheel and snow/ice collecting on the tyres can easily destroy them which is a design fault in my opinion so if you do think about a 212 with full airmatic make sure you inspect these. My 212 with full airmatic is on 73k miles without fault

Thanks for that advice. That’s exactly the sort of knowledge that is hard to find and good to know!

 

[grayb]

The W213 suspension is a step up from the W212 and even handles 20in wheels without a harsh ride so not much benefit in fitting full airmatic to the estate. The W212 does benefit from full air suspension however especially on 18in+ wheels but you need to keep the tyres pressures to spec for the car to feel right. On the 212 the front air strut rubber bellows are extremely close to the wheel and snow/ice collecting on the tyres can easily destroy them which is a design fault in my opinion so if you do think about a 212 with full airmatic make sure you inspect these. My 212 with full airmatic is on 73k miles without fault

Presumably, the CLS Airmatic must be very much like that on the W212?

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Presumably, the CLS Airmatic must be very much like that on the W212?

I would expect so but might be a different air strut on the front I’d certainly get my head under there and check the rubber bellows they detach from the bottom edge, they are quite different to all the other MB air struts I’ve seen previously with a much bigger diameter bellows and this brings them almost into contact with the wheel I think I can just get my fingers between the tyre and strut with 245/40/18 tyres on 8.5in rims. Terrible design to say this how it left the factory.

 

[V6Matty]

Personally I keep trying to find an S212 with airmatic and all the other toys mine has and can’t find one. It’s the one option I really wish I had and would be interesting to see if I can retrofit

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Personally I keep trying to find an S212 with airmatic and all the other toys mine has and can’t find one. It’s the one option I really wish I had and would be interesting to see if I can retrofit

I’m a bit surprised MB didn’t make the bigger engined E class estate with airmatic as standard when the 212 was introduced in 2009 as they now do with the E43/E53 after all most of the system is there in the estate and was one of the reasons I bought mine. My feeling on airmatic compared to steel coil suspension are mixed there is no doubt it provides an unparalleled ride but you need to make sure you keep the tyres at the correct psi rating for the car to feel properly planted on the road I miss the 210 in this respect but that wasn’t a McPherson Strut design. I wouldn’t concern yourself too much about airmatic you already have a fine car

 

[s5tuart]

Bear with me!
I’m thinking that buying Used from a franchised dealer is a wise decision, based on the following surmises.
Dealers get the best p/x cars because the owners are happy with the marque and just want a newer one.
Dealers keep the best cars to put on their forecourts and send the ones that aren’t quite as nice for auction or to their approved traders for disposal.

I know the prices are higher but you get, arguably, a “better” car, one that has been through the workshop and been reported as ok to sell by the mechanics.

or....am I talking bull-poo?

 

[V6Matty]

There is sense in your logic but I’ve always looked at a car as a whole rather than the person selling it, if the car is right then it doesn’t matter where it comes from